Quarantine Is Being Used to Manage Fear, Not Ebola

Nervous government officials who seem more interested in appearing tough rather than letting science actually defeat Ebola in the United States are misusing quarantine.

Prominent governmental officials such as Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and potential presidential candidate Governor Chris Christie of New Jersey have succumbed to pandering in the face of Ebola. In fact, the Governor has now doubled down on his unscientific and ill-thought through policy of quarantining those exposed to someone with Ebola. He practically begged to be sued for summarily quarantining a heroic nurse, Kaci Hickox, upon her return from West Africa, even after she tested negative for Ebola. “Whatever. Get in line…I’ve been sued lots of times before. Get in line. I’m happy to take it [the decision to quarantine] on.”

The line is already forming. Hickox, a nurse who wil not be bullied, is at the head of it. The Governor will lose. And he…